See How These Famous Breast Cancer Survivors Give Back

Jun 08 2017

Let these stories of celebrity recovery inspire you through your breast cancer journey.

Like many women, you may feel the urge to give back in the aftermath of your breast cancer diagnosis. There are numerous opportunities to make a difference, either by raising money or awareness. The following are a few of the most inspiring breast cancer survivor stories, and examples of how you can thrive after breast cancer.

Betty Ford

One of the first public figures to openly discuss her breast cancer diagnosis, Betty Ford bravely shared her ordeal in Newsweek, not long after her husband became president. This admission came at a time in which most women were reluctant to discuss breast cancer. The ensuing increase in self-examination was referred to as the "Betty Ford blip."

Samantha Harris

The world was shocked when television host Samantha Harris shared her cancer diagnosis in 2014. Her husband was a huge source of motivation throughout this ordeal; he told her, "When life gives you lemons, you gotta make lemonade." His words inspired the website Gotta Make Lemonade, where visitors can read stories of overcoming adversity and submit their own.

Melissa Etheridge

Melissa Etheridge has thrived since being diagnosed with breast cancer. She famously performed with a bald head at the 2005 Grammy Awards and has helped raise awareness by playing at a Breast Cancer Research Foundation benefit in 2009.

Angelina Jolie

Although she has yet to be diagnosed with breast cancer, Angelina Jolie has been highlighted as an at-risk patient. She made headlines with a New York Times op-ed in which she announced her decision to undergo a preventative double mastectomy, and encouraged others in her position to do the same.

Cynthia Nixon

Cynthia Nixon boasts an incredibly inspiring breast cancer survivor story. At the time of diagnosis, she had no intention of going public with her battle; she scheduled treatment so that she would never have to miss the play she was performing in at the time. Following a successful treatment regimen, she became the official ambassador for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation.

Kylie Minogue

Kylie Minogue's public announcement of cancer and frank discussion of her ordeal inspired may women to pursue necessary screening. Anglis Ruskin University later awarded her an honorary Doctor of Health Science degree in recognition of her efforts to raise breast cancer awareness.

Christina Applegate

Actress Christina Applegate knew a great deal about breast cancer at the time of diagnosis, as her mother had also suffered through the disease. She eventually founded rightactionforwomen.org in hopes of funding screenings and educating women about the meaning of "high risk."

Millions of women have thrived in the aftermath of breast cancer, and you can too. If you are wondering about your options after a mastectomy, visiting with a consultant at ContourMed is a great way to discover which custom breast forms are suitable for your lifestyle. After reading these inspiring breast cancer survivor stories, contact ContourMed today at 501-214-6080 to learn more.

What Others Are Saying

A year after Ellen Eddings discovered she had breast cancer in her right breast, after 33 rounds of chemotherapy and radiation at the University of Chicago Medical Center, an irregularity was discovered in her left breast. “I had a bilateral mastectomy in February of 2003," Ellen said. "I thought, why... Read More

A year after Ellen Eddings discovered she had breast cancer in her right breast, after 33 rounds of chemotherapy and radiation at the University of Chicago Medical Center, an irregularity was discovered in her left breast.

“I had a bilateral mastectomy in February of 2003,” Ellen said. “I thought, why me?” Her bilateral reconstruction failed on the right side, and after three surgeries she was at a low point. But a special nurse helped her through the worst of her ordeal, and her four sisters, all from Arkansas, traveled to Chicago to welcome her home from the hospital.

For the next nine years, Ellen made do with off-the-shelf breast forms. She hid behind loose tops, heavy jackets and scarves. “I had to apply the nipples separately and there was often a problem with slippage,” she said. “My breasts looked uneven, and I thought people were noticing.”

The chair of the Curriculum and Instruction Division of the School of Education at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff learned about ContourMed customized breast forms in early 2012. “I called and immediately set up an appointment for a scan at the ContourMed office,” Ellen said. “They were very customer-service focused and set up the scan around my schedule. Within a few weeks of my appointment, I had my ContourMed breast forms. I am totally in love with them – I just put them on and go.”

Ellen’s thousand-watt smile beams when she talks about her life today. She plays racquetball and shoots hoops with her younger son when he’s home from college. She even wore her ContourMed breast forms during a bath at a Hot Springs spa.

“I feel like myself again. I feel attractive,” Ellen said. “One of my students told me, ‘Something about you is different…you look brighter.’”